Published by the Department of Public Affairs, City of St. Augustine. Florida December 10 2010
|
M&M Market settlement proposed | |
A proposed settlement for the city to purchase M&M Market at Bridge Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue goes before the City Commission Monday.
The settlement totals more than $300,000, including a $261,169 mortgage and taxes and investigative fees. The property was seized and closed when its three co-owners were charged with multiple offenses November 4.
"The settlement allows the City to obtain possession, control and ownership of the property and avoid the time and expense of litigation at both the trial level and on appeal," City Attorney Ron Brown says. "The settlement also provides certainty and immediacy in the resolution of the litigation and allows the City to enter and begin the process of developing a meaningful use of the property." |
|
|
|
to returning
"did ya hear? They're getting' ready to move us back to the bridge!"
"Finally, out of this cavern and into the fresh air."
"Gonna be like old times. I hear they spruced up the bridge, put the parks back in, everything."
"They do anything about the traffic?
"Uh . . .
"Gonna cost $8,000 to move us, if the City Commission okays the money Monday."
"We're worth it . . . So when's this move?"
"Probably not 'til spring sometime. Highway people have until June to finish up all the landscaping."
"And you woke me up now?!!" |
|
|
$22.5 million bond issue delayed until January |
Final approval for a $22.5 million bond issue to move forward with long-delayed city projects, which was scheduled for Monday's City Commission meeting, has been delayed until January, City Attorney Ron Brown says.
"We want to make sure everyone understands the elements of the bond plan," he said.
Actions that did make Monday's agenda include requests for $8,000 to return the lions to the Bridge of Lions and $207,376 for city utility relocation in connection with the Florida Department of Transportation project to correct flooding along King Street, and committee reorganizations and assignments for city commissioners.
The last regular commission meeting of 2010 begins at 5 p.m. in the Alcazar Room at City Hall.
Bond issue for stalled projects
The $22.5 million bond issue to be considered by commissioners in January won't go before the voters, because the city's finance team has found ways to draw repayment from existing - non-property tax - revenues, and it won't plunge the city into debt, because it's about a third of the city's bonding capability, officials say.
Among sixteen major projects are a new island fire station, the seawall south of the Bridge of Lions, and Riberia Street. Nearly half the funding, $9.41 million, will go to rehabilitation of Riberia Street and corridor improvements along King Street, San Marco Avenue and Anastasia Boulevard.
The complete breakout is on the city website.
Utilities move for flooding project
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has agreed to tackle the historic flooding problem on King Street near the San Sebastian River bridge, now commissioners are being asked to do their part - city utilities relocation at a cost of $207,376. The request goes to the commission Monday.
Low bidder for the project is the Masci Corp., FDOT's prime contractor on the project. Work was scheduled for September, but the threat of bad weather has postponed it until January. |
|
|
|
| Tree grows in controversy |
A protected 30-inch diameter live oak tree on Markland Place is target of an appeal to commissioners Monday after Planning and Zoning Board (PZB) denial of a Tree Removal permit in October.
Based on the PZB hearing, this appeal at the beginning of Monday's meeting could take some time.
At that hearing, 69 pages of testimony and discussion were recorded.
At issue is a non-conforming lot, subdivided years ago, a "flag lot" sitting behind an existing house with an 11-foot-wide access easement on one side. And in the middle of that easement, the 100-year-old oak tree.
The lot owner wants to remove it; PZB said no. The commission will have to sort out the legalities of the PZB action. |
| Plan board okays alcohol sales |
The city Planning and Zoning Board Tuesday approved a use by exception for alcohol sales at public and private events in the Colonial Spanish Quarter, with limits as it imposed in a similar request for Government House.
Among the conditions: the exception is good for two years, with not more than 12 such event days in a calendar year, no alcohol sales after 10 p.m., provision of bathroom facilities, and a formal event process to be established before the first event.
The application was made by the city and University of Florida, which now manages 34 state-owned historic properties here including the two venues.
PZB last month approved Government House alcohol sales and service for a three-year period, with no more than 24 such event days a year.
Conditions on Hildreth subdivision
The plan board approved a 12-lot subdivision in North City's Hildreth area with conditions, while unanimously rejecting a bid for a bed and breakfast Inn at 268 St. George Street.
Heeding concerns of neighbors, PZB put limits on filling for lots and protected tree removal, both requiring prior board review and approval. Filling and tree removal for infrastructure as presented will be allowed. Putnam State Bank was the applicant.
Bed & breakfast bid denied
A bid to convert a former five-unit apartment house near the Cathedral Parish School into a bed and breakfast inn was unanimously rejected by PZB. The property, owned by the Joan B. Kramm Trust, is currently a single family residence. |
| Much ado for the weekend |
Talk about busy weekends this holiday season. Your selections this weekend include:
Annual Regatta of Lights
The St. Augustine Yacht Club once again hosts the Regatta, hoping for warmer weather Saturday as boats decorated for the holidays begin their parade at 6 p.m. Saturday in Matanzas Bay between the Bridge of Lions and Castillo de San Marcos. Details 904.824.9725 or visit their website.
Cupcakes and Crocodiles
Enjoy an evening at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park Friday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and donate to "Cupcakes and Crocodiles: Helping People Help Crocodiles." It's the Alligator Farm's  effort to help citizens and wildlife in the Philippines, devastated by October's typhoon Megi.
"These people play a major role in the conservation of the Philippine crocodile, of which there are only 200 left in the wild, making it a critically endangered animal," park officials say. There'll be cupcakes and refreshments, an opportunity to touch a Philippine crocodile, and a guided night tour through the park. For details 904.824.3337 x10.
17th Annual Holiday Tour of Bed and Breakfast Inns
Last weekend the St. Augustine Garden Club sold out its homes tour. This weekend you can tour St. Augustine's historic bed and breakfast Inns, decorated in holiday finery. Taste treats from St. Augustine's leading restaurants are included in this two-day tour split between the inns from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $35 and proceeds go to local charities. Visit their website.
Handel's Messiah and Other Seasonal Music
St. Augustine's Community Choir presents in their annual performance of excerpts from Handel's Messiah and other seasonal music, accompanied by the St. Augustine Children's Choir, at 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Cathedral Basilica. Admission is $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Visit their website.
Pilot Club Luminaries
Lightner Museum will glow with hundreds of candlelit luminaries Sunday from 5 to 8 p.m. at this event hosted by the St. Augustine Pilot Club. Bring your seasonal voice to join in singing traditional carols. Details 904.824.2486. |
| 'I've come this far. . .' |
Newly seated City Commissioner Bill Leary reports, "Happily my injury was not serious, just a hamstring strain so lots of rehabilitation but no surgery."
Leary wasn't to be denied Monday as he took his seat - or rather moved his wheelchair seat to - the commission table.
The hamstring strain occurred only hours before his induction, leaving him to endure taunts reprising President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's wheelchair days.
Rolling up to be sworn in, he commented, "Well, I've come this far . . ." |
History's Highlight
The Old Spanish Trail
One in a series of historic features for our 450th, researched by George Gardner
4 years, 8 months, 30 days to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
Drawn from www.drivetheost.com, website for the Old Spanish Trail Association
September 8, 2015, St. Augustine will commemorate its 450th anniversary. That same month will be the 100th anniversary of the beginning of Old Spanish Trail, America's first transcontinental highway, from St. Augustine to San Diego CA along the trails of early Spanish missions and forts.
In September, 1915, a coalition of businessmen presented the concept to the national Jackson Highway meeting in Nashville.
Harral Ayres, managing director and driving force of the Old Spanish Trail Association, called it a highway "following the footsteps of the Padres and Conquistadores."
The Old Spanish Trail got its start in a city with little claim to Spanish history, Mobile Alabama, founded in 1702 as a French colony and coming only briefly under Spanish rule between 1783 and 1813.
It was envisioned as "afford(ing) tourists the ability to see Florida towns, come through Mobile and go west along the Mississippi coast through New Orleans and to California."
Unlike other Southern transcontinental highways that stitched together existing roads across the continent's relatively flat and dry midsection, much of the Old Spanish Trail was forged over formerly impassable swamplands in the Southeast, including five major outlets into the Gulf. Along with these geographical impediments, the Old Spanish Trail Association protested that the uncooperativeness of individual states and the federal government ultimately hampered its completion.
The Old Spanish Trail was completed in 1929 at a cost of more than $80,000,000, billed as the most expensive and most highly engineered of all the transcontinental trails.
To celebrate the completion, St. Augustine hosted a three-day gala, including the dedication of a six-foot diameter coquina stone monument marking the beginning of the trail. A representative of the King of Spain dedicated the trail and honored Ayres with the title of Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Isabel la Catolica.
At the dedication Ayres gave a speech praising the work of the Association, and challenging people "to go on with this work and keep this far-southern land a joy for travelers for years to come and a memorial to all that is good in that age of art and chivalry and adventure and great mission works." The lure of the Old Spanish Trail continued to captivate travelers until the early 1960s, when new interstates redirected traffic off the old road. Interstate 10 replaced much of the historic trail, running from Jacksonville to Santa Monica CA. |
|
|
|
The St. Augustine Report is published by the Department of Public Affairs of the City of St. Augustine each Tuesday and on Fridays previewing City Commission meetings. The Report is written and distributed by George Gardner, former St. Augustine Mayor (2002-2006) and Commissioner (2006-2008) and a longtime newspaper reporter and editor. Contact The Report at gardner@aug.com |
|
|
